Become like a Child Again

Preached by Apostle Aje Pelser

Harvester Cape Town, 4 Sept. 2011

Receive the Kingdom as a little child to enter it

Luk 18:15 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

Luk 18:16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

Luk 18:17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.' It’s all about how we receive God’s kingdom that allows us entrance into His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.

Instances in life to become like a child to enter the Kingdom of God. 1. Being Born Again 2. Believing God’s Word 3. Being Baptized – water, spirit, fire 4. Giving a Sacrifice of Praise 5. Learning something New 6. Forgiving and Forgetting 7. Enduring Chastening 8. Inheriting the Kingdom

1. Being Born Again

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Joh 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Joh 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' Joh 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.'

2. Believing God’s Word 1Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1Jn 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Sometimes we accept the Word of God like a child, and later the understanding comes as we act on it by faith.

3. Being Baptized – water, spirit, fire Baptism is a humbling experience, but it does away with the old man and releases the power of the new creation in you. Jesus said to John the Baptist,

Mat 3:15 But Jesus answered and said to him, 'Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.' Then he allowed Him.

Speaking in tongues needs child like faith to start off with and as you grow in it, you realize that the writer of the new Testament encourages believers to pray in tongues more. It is a neglected art in modern church society to speak in tongues and when given to the church, to interpret it. Speaking in the Spirit means we speak mysteries to God and He then replies with the illumination of our understanding by His Spirit. It is a code language necessary to operate in the spiritual realm. Without it your life is one dimensional and religious. With tongues we access the mysteries and riches of God on another level. Apostle Andre says that many of the things our church is doing today was received many years ago through tongues and interpretation.

Child like faith in God’s ability to have them in the fire helped Daniel’s friends and Jesus was manifest in the fire with them. Going through a baptism of fire magnifies our dependence on God Our Father.

4. Giving a Sacrifice of Praise

Heb 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

One has to become child-like to praise God in a sport like manner, like when Jesus Himself rejoiced when his disciples returned triumphantly in Luke chapter 10. He “agalio’d” in the spirit! Those who worship God in Spirit and in Truth – this is the conference the world has been waiting for, for God is seeking such to worship Him – we have to behave like kids that are happy to see Dad! When children get a present they dance and jump and make little random hand gestures and laugh and giggle about the fact that they are being blessed. Jacqueline Louw danced that in the Good News production the other night and it released such joy. Praising God with spirit, soul and body like David means becoming like a child again, saying “Hosanna to the King” like they did for Jesus when he entered Jerusalem and people spread out their garments and palms branches before Him.

5. Learning something New

James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

In order to learn from someone you have to become like a child and say teach me because I don’t know. You almost have to stop your thoughts about a subject in their tracks and submit mentally like a child listens to a parent about something. Messge competition will cause a breakdown in your listening ability and prevent you from learning something from anyone. The people God allows us to meet can help us learn the things we need to be successful in life, so become aware of that and become like a child to learn. I received some drum coaching in England from a young man named Tim, who completely changed my grip and I had to become like a child, and relearn all the drum notes I had studied for years, but the result is that now I play without strain in my fingers and wrists and in addition I have more control at higher speeds while playing for Jesus! Which means God can use me to drum out His victories in people’s lives even faster! I can also teach others because I was willing ot learn and became like a child again. But the wonder of becoming like a child again, is the release of Child like vigour and energy and the awe and wonder of drumming has been rekindled. I can’t wait to go and experiment with the new found wisdom and knowledge on the kit and practise every day like when I started to drum.

In spiritual terms, this is returning to your first love!

Being born again does that for our souls, we returned to the Creator, Our Father who made us and we see again, hear His voice again, think like Him again, access His power for our lives again and live life to the full by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

6. Forgiving and Forgetting

Children are amazing in that you can reprimand them and give them a hiding one minute and within a few hours they are running around laughing and give you a hug as if nothing happened. An Amazing power to forget, that resilience in the spirit of a child is amazing and should be cherished, therefore we should not over correct children, exacerbating them, making them feel inadequate from our adult perspective on life. Remember that they are children and try and rekindle your childlike joie de vivre! That means a hearty or carefree enjoyment of life. See free www.dictionary.com for more synonyms.

When forgiving people we need to become like a child and forget so that “play time can continue”. Children will forget terrible things that there friends say and do to tehm, just so that the game can continue. It doesn’t justify the wrong behaviour, but it causes a continuity in the friendship in spite of hurst, Grown ups tend to hold onto hurts too long and bitterness sets in over time. This ruis friendships and releases outbursts of wrath under pressure, hurts from years ago surface during arguments and people are surprised to find that you held things against them for so long. Forgive folks as God in Christ forgave you.

We forgive because we need forgiveness